A person suffering from tanorexia stands out from the crowd with its dark brown tan. He runs to the solarium every day, fearing that he looks too pale. People addicted to tanning, most often do not see the problem, they displace it looking for evidence that they are not addicted.

- The pale girl looks unattractive. No clothes or a haircut will help. Withouttanning , she just gets lost in the crowd, explains Viola, who considers the day withouttanning bedslost. In summer, you also sunbathe in the sun. He can talk for hours about the best "accelerators". Her skin is almost chocolate brown, contrasts sharply with bleached light blonde hair. But Violi still seems like she could be a tad darker still. - Maybe I'm a bit addicted totanningin the solarium - she shrugs. - But what to whom: I don't drink or take drugs.

Tanoreksja - compulsion to sunbathe

According to the psychologist Tamara Tarasiewicz, Viola is a typical tanorexic. -Tanorexiais one of the personality disorders resulting from the cult of one's own body. The pleasure of enjoying the sun has been turned into an obsessive compulsion by the Tanorexics, as they cannot think of anything else but sunbathing and their own appearance. External attractiveness improves well-being, so he strives for it at all costs - explains Tarasiewicz. The name of this disorder, which is a combination of the English word "tan" - tan and the words "anorexia", coined journalists. British BBC television was the first to broadcast a report about a teenager who felt compelled to use a solarium. Actually, only then did specialists deal with it. Meanwhile, tanorexia has been collecting victims for many years. The fashion for sunbathing was popularized by the famous designer Coco Chanel in the 1920s. The tan quickly became a symbol of beauty, elegance and we alth. Girls and women went out of their way to look like Hollywood stars. The limitation - at least in our climate - was the weather. But that also changed when sunbeds came into use.

Important

Tanorexiais not only about melanoma. In Poland, a case of the death of a young woman - caused by circulatory failure - while using the solarium, has been reported. It turned out to be her third session that day. She visited more beauty salons in each of themby applying 15 minutes of "s alt spreaders". She was probably a Tanorexic.

Who is at risk of tanning addiction?

Who is at risktanorexia ? Until recently, it was most often affected by middle-aged women. But now - according to psychologists - there are more and more young girls. There are also more men. - I think that some Polish politicians may be tanorectic - says Tarasiewicz. The second group of tanorectic people among the "ugly sex" are men who are also addicted to the gym. Tanorexia is a psychological addiction, which means that you cannot "get addicted" to being in the sun or a few visits to the solarium. Although this is how innocently everything usually begins. Some people decide to use the lamps several times to turn out nicely on some important day for them. Others go on vacation with the resolution to dazzle their surroundings with a beautiful tan when they return. Then they come to the conclusion that it needs to be cared for to survive the winter. Some do it in moderation, others lose control before they know it. Why is this happening? - The basis of tanorexia is pathological self-perception. Generally speaking: making one's self-esteem dependent on whether other people perceive us as attractive - explains Tarasiewicz.

Tanning addicts are usually unaware that they have a problem

- I'm sunbathing for myself - Viola protests. - My guy is even angry that I run in the solarium all the time. She says he doesn't care about me being brown at all. But I like to take care of myself. Tamara Tarasiewicz explains, however, that as Viola claims most of the Tanorectic. It is very rare for someone to realize themselves that they are addicted. It usually happens as a result of he alth complications ( although oncologists can tell a lot about patients who, despite the prohibitions, still sunbathe after diagnosing melanoma) or the intervention of their relatives. Too much concern about your appearance makes you lose other values.

The constant search for tanning opportunities has a destructive effect not only onaddicted , but also on his family and surroundings. The Tanorectic, for example, when going on vacation, does not take into account the needs of others. He does not like trips, playing with children, he is preoccupied with himself. In extreme cases, tanorexia can lead to family breakdown. In the case of not very we althy people, the compulsion to use the solarium can also ruin the home budget.

Where to go for help

Addiction Therapy Center at the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, tel./fax: (0-22) 651-93-18

Skin condition of people addicted to tanning

The skin condition of the tanorectic very muchit quickly deteriorates noticeably. Discoloration and birthmarks appear. The skin becomes extremely dry, sometimes it gives the impression of being dirty. The Tanorexics do not seem to notice this. They think that another cream or cosmetic procedure will solve these problems. However, the changes become irreversible over time. But it's not premature skin aging that is the biggest risk.

US research shows that 90 percent.skin canceris the result of just excessive sunbathing. The most dangerous of them,melanoma , despite medical advances, is still deadly. People affected by addiction most often displace it, looking for "evidence" that they are not addicted. For example, alcoholics claim that they are not addicts, because they only drink in the evening, only beer or only cognac. It is no different with tanorexia. Women addicted to sunbathing can use creams with a fairly high sunscreen, which gives them a false sense of security. They also often sunbathe only on the solarium, claiming that modern lamps are completely safe. Unfortunately, manufacturers and owners of sunbeds confirm them in this opinion.

How to cure sun addiction?

Tanorexia therapyis similar to other addictions. Although, according to specialists, it is one of the most difficult to treat. It is conducted by psychotherapists, often on the basis of group therapy. There are self-help groups for tanorexic women in the United States.

Category:

Psychology